Chongqing
Monorail, Metro
 
The city of Chongqing (Chung King to your Chinese food fans, it means "Double Celebration") contracted to build a 2.6 km 3 station Aerobus monorail, to be completed in 2003.  The project never materialised, but this 2000 Forbes article tells a fascinating story.


Monorail (重庆 轨道交通; pinyin: Chóngqìng Guǐdào Jiāotōng)

Chongquing's 19.1 km monorail, known as Line 2,  opened in June, 2005. Three stations and 2.2 km of its route are underground, which might make it a submorail. Or maybe a monoway.

A second straddle monorail, Line 3, opened in September 2011. The first section has 15 stations and is 17.3 km long. The complete 29 station, 39.1 km line opened at the end of 2011, connecting witgh Jianbei Airport. Five stations are underground.

A 6.2 km extension is under construction an expected to open soon. Two additional lines are under construction, and several more are planned for a total of 18 lines and nearly 300 km. These lines will be a mix of conventional subway, monorail and light rail.


Full Metro

Chonquing's first full conventional metro opened in July 2011.  The underground train will run for a total 16.4 km and have 14 stations.

Official Home Page
Unofficial Home Page
Youtube video
A lower deck on  this amazing bridge will carry the Chongquing monorail across the Yangtze River.
View of Chongqing and its sister city Cheech from the monorail
Wikipedia Page on the CTS (Conquing Train System)



Subway

Two subway lines are under construction.

Construction on the 16.4 km, 13 station Line 1 was halted in 1997 due to a legal dispute and did not resume until 2007. It has since become a 36 km subway, and is now scheduled to open in 2011 Ten of the 22 stations are be underground.

A feasibility study on a 16.6 km (with 10.2 km underground), 14 station line is still in the planning stages. Two additional lines are scheduled for construction in 2010:  a 19.3 km (8.4 km underground), 14 station line and a 28.6 km (8.6 km below ground) 18 station light rail line, which will eventually eventually connect with the Jingbei Airport to span a total of 64 km.

Light Rail ?

We've also read about a 17 station, 17.4 km light rail line that is "under construction". Scheduled to open in 2004, it has yet to be completed. The possible reason for this is that the monorail is often referred to as a light rail line because of it's primary elevated status. So the Chongquing light rail line may actually be the Line 2 monorail.

Wikipedia page